NDP majority legislator questions Speaker's integrity
However, in few words the Honourable Speaker of the House put the matter to rest stating, “This is a House of fact…As far as I am aware you are asking me to confirm a rumour.”
The subject was first brought to the floor by Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Resources and Labour Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7), who was later supported by Member of the Opposition Honourable Julian Fraser, RA (R3), and Leader of the Opposition Honourabe Andrew A. Fahie (R1), all during the another business segment of the sitting of the House.
Democratic Institution
Stating, “we can’t start fooling around with the institutions that builds a democracy,” Hon Pickering led out on the topic calling on the Speaker to confirm or denounce what is being propelled throughout the local media.
He said, “I am uncomfortable because I am not sure the right choice of words that I should am to be using but I am but I will try my best to be mindful because in chapter 5 in Erskine May for the record, it speaks about the privilege of Parliament and I know Madam Speaker, that there are some purists who are listening who may challenge me as somebody did in the past that we do not have a Parliament in the Virgin Islands (VI), we have a House of Assembly.”
Troubled Spirit
“I am troubled within my spirit Madam Speaker of where we are in this point in time,” pointing to hs international Parliamentary attendance.
“And the problem is that the Parliament, the House of Assembly, like the judiciary, are pillars of any country, any nation.”
Using the example of a piece of furniture for which the legs are the main support for it to stay upright, Hon Pickering said its reported in the local online media that the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the VI
“Whether that is so or not, the bigger point is that it has not been refuted in any official way. So therefore it leaves a cloud hanging over the institution of the house as to exactly where we are.”
Hon Moses is a Lawyer
Hon Pickering stated that he is fully cognisant that the sitting Speaker of this Parliament is a lawyer and, “I am absolutely certain, I have no doubts in my mind you would have been given legal advice if in fact what the news report says is so.”
The Deputy Premier said that having learnt what he did from the news media, he proceeded to do research relevant to the matter and the circumstances surrounding the individual in the position of a Speaker finding him or herself in such a scenario.
“I couldn’t find any precedence for it. From where I sit as one of the senior member of this House, as somebody who has travelled far and wide attending parliamentary meetings, participated in parliamentary discussions, to me, my personal opinion, and in my contribution it is a situation that is likely to create more questions than answers for the house and it begs the question if the sitting Speaker can in fact be partial.”
“I am fully minded that the sitting speaker is nominated from one of the elected members of the House and the majority party of the House but I what I do not understand, I have never seen any precedence for it is where the sitting Speaker is announced as a Candidate in the upcoming elections and continues to sit as the sitting speaker that’s where my problem lies.”
Uncomfortable
“I want to lend my voice to say publicly I am not comfortable with it and unless in this present context the sitting Speaker is about to denounce the fact that it is not so and it’s something being published against her wishes then it stands as a fact as it has not been refuted.”
He contended that it is his understanding that as members of the Honourable House they should not use or abuse the privileges extended to them.
“In this present context I don’t see how, certainly not from my personal point of view how it can’t be misconstrued that its almost an abuse of the privilege to be putting oneself as a candidate in the upcoming elections and sitting in the position where, has such authority that it allows not only great unfair advantage to somebody but it question the processes within the house and that in itself to me is an abuse of privilege…”
Hon Fraser support Hon Pickering
Speaking from the opposite side of the House Hon Fraser added his voice to the subject stating, “Madam Speaker out there in black and white it’s rumoured, I don’t know if its official but its rumoured that you are indeed a candidate on a political party ticket, its rumoured and I have the same concerns as I heard raised earlier regarding that. What I would say Madam Speaker, is that the benefit of the doubt should be yours were you get the opportunity to do, dismiss this whole thing as a rumour or declare it to be so.”
“If you declare it to be so Madam Speaker, I have the same concerns about whether or not you can be the person that we elect to be our speaker,” he added.
Constitution
“Yes our constitution does provide that a member of the house can be the speaker, it does, but you know what happens in that case Madam Speaker, I know it happens in the UK, and I believe it should be happening in other parliaments. Once a member of parliament is elected to be the Speaker of the House, that persons does not face an opposition, in the upcoming elections.
“In the case of a sitting Speaker, who was elected to be impartial, as an impartial individual for outside as you are, in the case where someone in your position has been dubbed to be a candidate on a political party ticket, we don’t know what to expect. So I will just sit and observe what will be your reaction in the next two days to what has been said here today regarding that condition.”
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